


After The Concert

by GE72



Category: WKRP in Cincinnati
Genre: Gen, Newspaper story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 19:14:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10669050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GE72/pseuds/GE72
Summary: A newspaper report after the events of "In Concert", as WKRP staff members address the issue of festival seating after the tragedy at The Who concert.





	After The Concert

From the Cincinnati Enquirer  
December 12, 1979

 

A local radio station is leading the way to ban festival seating at local events in the aftermath of the fan stampede at Riverfront Coliseum.

Staff members at station WKRP were on hand at Tuesday night’s Cincinnati city council meeting, as they were among many citizens demanding that the city council ban festival seating at concerts in the city.

The call for the ban is coming on the heels of the tragic events at The Who concert on December 3rd, where eleven people died in a stampede through the only door opened at the Coliseum.

Station owner Arthur Carlson addressed the city council about what happened that night and what can be done to prevent such occurrences from happening again. Carlson said he attended the concert, along with some of his staff, but did not find out about the tragedy until the following morning.

“It was my first rock concert that I attended as owner of WKRP,” Carlson said to the city council. “Our station promoted that concert, and gave away tickets to it. Now it’s going to be remembered for eleven people dying in a rush for seats. I don’t want to see anything like that happening again at any rock and roll concert in this city again.”

He continued, “Even though I am owner of a rock and roll station, I was uninvolved. I wasn’t up on the music, didn’t know any of the groups. I went to that concert, and I enjoyed it very much. When I found out what happened, it made me so angry that there was nothing we could do about it. But I believe we can do something that can prevent this from happening again.”

Other WKRP staff members also addressed the city council.

“I heard of stampedes like this happening at South American soccer games, maybe even shows in Europe,” said John Caravella, known as WKRP on-air personality “Johnny Fever.” “You never hear of this happening here in Cincinnati, much less the United States. This whole thing has made us take notice about what happened and have us all wondering what can be done to prevent this in the future.”

“Something like this has been brewing for a long time,” WKRP station manager Andy Travis told the council. “I thnk it was only a matter of time that something like this would happen. Now we want to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

WKRP reporter Bailey Quarters said she had interviewed people who were at the concert, many of whom were shaken by the experience of being caught up in the stampede. She also added that her and fellow reporter Les Nessman have talked to coliseum officials, who also want changes made when it comes to festival seating, adding that some bands coming to the Riverfront Coliseum have asked their concerts to have reserved seating only.

“The people we have interviewed about the concert were saddened about what had happened,” Quarters said. “As for myself, I was very sad and very angry about what happened. I was there, and I had no idea what happened until the next day. There has been one common thread among all the people we have talked to, and that they all want to find a way to make sure this doesn’t repeat itself again.”

After the city council meeting, Carlson and Travis met with coliseum officials about future concert promotions at Riverfront Coliseum and raising awareness so there is not another stampede.

“This is a good town,” Carlson said. “The people here will make it happen.”


End file.
